schleicher



5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY J. C. SCHLEICHER Y IRSHIP l F'inledAug. 18, 1928 Jafz/ @dwg/MR June 2' 1931.

June 2, 1931. J. c. scHLElcHER AIRSHIP Filed Aug. 18, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEY J. C.SCHLEICHER June 2, 1931.

AIRSHIP Filed Aug. 18, 1928 WITNESS:

51 Il 'n n Patented June 2, 1931 PATENT OFFICE JOHN C. SGHLEICI-IER, 0FNEW YORK, N. Y.

AIRSHIP Application filed August 18, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in airships of the lighter thanair or dirigible type, an object being to provide an airship in whichthe propellers are so arranged that perfect control of the ship may bemaintained even in winds of high velocity.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an airship havingmeans for controlling the direction of vertical flight, so that in theevent of loss of gas, the ship may :be maneuvered to a successfullanding, while in the event of excess gas, the ship may be preventedfrom rising above the desired height.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means forstabilizing the airship both in flight and in the event of seriousmishap, the means referred to acting to resist direct downward movement,and thus reduce danger of a sudden landing.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an airship in whichthe car is detachably connected with the bag and capable of beingreleased, so that in the event of lire or other serious mishap, the carand bag may be separated.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention further includesthe following novel features and details of construction, to behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an airship constructedin accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section with parts in elevation.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of one of the wings.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of referencedenote corresponding parts, the reference character l0 indicates thebody or bag of the airship which may be made of metal andrigidthroughout its length. The body is circular 1n cross section andtapers toward each end where it is provided with recesses 11 to receivemotors Serial No. 300,447.

12, the latter being mounted upon trunnions 13 so that they may be movedpivotally as shown by dotted lines in Figure 4 of the drawings. Thesemotors have secured upon their shafts propellers 14, so that the latterare movable with the motors and may be tilted vertically.

Extending outwardly from opposite sides of the hollow body 10 at eachend thereof are horizontally disposed fins 15. These lins extend fromopposite sides of the horizontal center of the body and act to stabilizeand control the vertical flight of the ship. l

In addition, the airship has extending centrally and horizontally atopposite sides, wings or planes 16. These Wings or planes 16 have theirinner ends provided with relatively broad fiat faces 17 for contact withsimilar faces 18 provided at the outer ends of hollow extensions 19.These extensions 19 are rigid with the body and are in communicationtherewith so that gas contained with in the body will also enter thesehollow extensions and provide additional lifting power. The wings 16 arehingedly connected to the extensions 19 along their upper edges asindicated at 20, so that these Wings may be folded upward against thebody as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 3 of the drawings.Removable pins 21 serve to prevent upward movement of the wings, whilebraces 22 lend rigidity to the outer edges of the wings.

Mounted below the wings or below the extensions 19 are propellers 23which are carried by the shafts of pivotally mounted engines, after themanner of the propellers 14.

By means of the arrangement of the wing 16, the fins 15 and propellers14 and 23, perfect control of the ship may be had even in winds of highvelocity. The propellers 14 may be utilized both as traction and liftingpropellers as required, and the propellers 23 may be likewise utilized,while the fins 15 and wings 16 will assist in maintaining properbalance. The propellers may also be utilized to guide the shiphorizontally.

In addition to the controlling means just described, the wings 16 carryresilient plates 24. These plates are positioned at the leading and t'ailing edges of the wings near the outer ends of the latter and havetheir inner edges 25 permanently secured to the wings. Bridles 26 whichare secured to the outer free edges of the plates 24 have connectedthereto one end of cz bles 2T which extend into within convenient reachof the crei'v of the ship, or into pilot houses 28 at opposite endsI ofthe body lO. The plates 24 act to further control the ships Hight and bymanipulating the cables 27, the outer edges of the plates 2l may beflexed upward over the upper surface of the wings so as to properly bankthe ship when turningl and to retard its forward movement. The forwardmovement of the ship may also be retarded through the operation of thepropellers.

The bottom of the body 10 is provided with a depression 29 for receivinga car 30, the top of the car being shaped in conformity with the shapeof the depression. The bottom of the car is rounded as shown at 3l andcarries relatively wide wheels 32, so that the wheels will not readilysink in soft earth. lVindows 32 are provided in the ca r.

Extending upwardly from the depression 29 is a. tubular member 33 whoselower end communicates with an opening provided in t-he top of the carand whose upper end is closed by a removable closure 34. A ladder 35extends upward through the tubular mem ber 33 through the car 30, sothat occupants of the car may pass upward through the tubular member bymeans of the. ladder 35 and into the pilot houses 28 through trap doors36. Hand rails 37 are provided longitudinally along the top of the body10.

The. car 30 has its lower end rounded and is capable of movement bothover the surface of the ground or over the surface of the water, and isof a character to remain inflated for a relatively long period. It issecured to the body 10 within the depression 29 by means of a cable 38.One end of this cable is secured within the ear as shown at 39 while itsopposite end is wound upon a drum 40 provided in a compartment 4l withinthe body 10. This drum carries a ratchet wheel 42 whose teeth areengaged by a pivotally mounted dog 43, while a cable 44 extends fromthis dog into the car 30.

In the event of serious mishap, such as fire in the body 10, a pull uponthe cable 44 will release the ratchet and permit the cable 38 to unwindfrom the drum so that the car will be separated from the body. Should itbe necessary to release the car when the ship is travelling over a bodyof water, the character of the car will permit the same to remain aioatfor a relatively long period.

By providing reversible motors for the propellers or providing othermeans for driving the propellers in a reverse direction, the ship can bedriven backwards, which is desirable where the ship is running into astorm and it is impossible to turn the ship.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportionsand minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved tomake such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In an airship, a rigid buoyant body tapered at each end, propeller-sat each end of said body, projections extending laterally from oppositesides of and rigid with the body, wings fold-ably secured to andextending horizontally from the extensions, means to hold the wingsextended, resilient plates positioned at opposite edges and uponopposite sides of the wings and having their inner edges secured to saidwings and their free edges disposed toward the leading and trail ingedges of the wings, and means secured to the free edges of the plateswhereby the plates may be independently controlled.

2. In an airship, a rigid buoyant body, projections extending laterallyfrom opposite sides of and rigid with the body, vertically disposedrelatively broad flat bearing faces for the outer ends of theprojections, foldable wings extending from the projections, rela tivelybroad flat bearing faces at the inner ends of the wings for contact withthe bearing faces of the projections, means hingedly connecting one edgeof the bearing faces of the extensions to one edge of the bearing facesof the inner ends of the wings, and means to detachably secure theopposite edges of said faces together.

3. In an airship, a buoyant body having a recess therein, a car havingits top portion engaged in said recess, said top portion being shaped toit within said recess, a revolvable drum within said body, a cable woundon said drum and terminally attached to said car, said cable adapted tolower the car from said body, means for holding the drum againstoperation to retain said car in its recess, and flexible means attachedat one of its ends to said first means and having its opposite endmanipulably disposed in said car, whereby manipulation of said latterend is effective to operate said first means for releasing said car,said cable being then effective to lower said car.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

JOHN C. SCHLEICHER.

